THIS CAN'T BE CHILD LABOUR

Did you know that 1 in every 10 children is subjected to child labour in worldwide terms? That's exactly 160 million children, some of whom are only 5 years old.

It's chilling, right?

Today is World Day against Child Labour and, this year, the aim is to make a call to invest more in social protection systems and plans so children can be protected from child labour.

To know more about it... Find further information below:

👉🏼 (This is very scary) In early 2020, figures talked about 63 million girls and 97 million boys.

👉🏼  Only 26,4% of children around the world receive monetary allowances under social protection.

👉🏼  In worldwide terms, national expenditure in child social protection is just 1.1% of GDP.

👉🏼  Over the last decades, the figure of children who are subjected to child labour dropped by 85.5 millions between 2000 and 2020, from 16 % to 9.6 %.

👉🏼  For the first time in decades and due to the pandemic situation and to a increase of poverty and a higher vulnerability, it's estimated that, if there's no strategies to avoid it, the number of children subjected to child labour could rise by 8.9 millions towards the end of 2022.

The question is:

Have you ever wondered how many children around the world are working for us right now?

Children who are not enjoying their childhood because they're working on some dangerous job or being exploited, without taking into account their health, their education, their well-being or any kind of right.

And I don't know about you, but we get very angry because of this... (Very much!) 🤬

We're talking about children who can't choose between school and work because they're part of the economic support of their families. Or children who are obligated to this exploitation.

And...more information:

Almost thirty countries are accused of child labour in the cotton, fabric, leather and clothing industry 😡

This is horrible...

Especially because it shows that the fashion industry is not ‘only’ about fashion.

It's obvious that what we wear or what we buy depends largely on child labour and that, nowadays, if we do our research, we'll check that fashion, leather and many other industries still violate children's rights (and that includes a lot of brands that take part on this circle... and they do nothing about it)

And...of course, while we can find a lack of public policies that are really effective, the absence of due labour inspections and the ridiculous public budget destined to eradicate this drama...we'll keep favoring child labour in fashion industry.

The worst part? 🥺

Although in the last decades figures have gotten better, for the first time these progresses to eradicate this drama have been paused thanks to the pandemic and the lack of political action agains poverty. That's why, figures expected for the future are not better, but quite the opposite.

Let's remember the aim 8.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations, under which it's necessary to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate child labour in all its forms from now to 2025.

But: when this aim was established, nobody knew that a pandemic would come and throw away many progresses.

That's why, now more than ever, they should work much harder in the review of their policies...and focus on dropping poverty, inequality or social injustice.

Let's not forget Francis Blanchard's words: “Child labour is rooted in poverty. Unemployment and underemployment, precarious incomes, low living standards, and insufficient opportunities for education and training are its underlying causes. Children work because they must — for their own survival and that of their families”. Francis Blanchard, Director General of the ILO (1974−1989).

And what can I do?, you may wonder... 🤔

Well, it's obvious that neither I nor anyone can eradicate child labour all of a sudden... but as a society, it's in our hands to reclaim a higher investment in social protections systems in worldwide terms and make much more coherent decisions, among many other things.

We can't look the other way before this. Not to talk about the world's governments. 

Let's also remind that a lot of small actions can move mountains...and we should make an effort and worry about these issues in order to turn on the change 💪🏼 

Let's hope we'll be able to raise more awareness around this drama that concerns us all.

Join your voice to ours in this worldwide movement against child labour.

And, when you bet on a brand or project, do your research! It’s in our hands to choose better and not be accomplice in this atrocity.

#ChildLabour #worlddayagainstchildlabour #eradicatechildlabour